SpaceX Starship Earth-to-Earth Travel: Fly Across the World in 30 Minutes

Imagine leaving Manila in the morning and arriving in New York just half an hour later. It sounds like science fiction, but SpaceX is working on a way to make this possible with its ambitious Earth-to-Earth travel concept using the Starship vehicle. Although it is still in development, this project could completely change how we think about long-distance travel, making faraway destinations suddenly much closer and more accessible.

How Starship could transform global travel

Image credit: SpaceX | X

So how does this actually work? SpaceX’s Starship is a fully reusable spacecraft originally designed for missions to the Moon and Mars. For Earth-to-Earth travel, the Starship would launch vertically into suborbital space, travel at extremely high speeds, and land safely at a destination thousands of kilometres away. Instead of following traditional flight paths through the atmosphere, Starship takes a shortcut through space.

This approach is not just about speed. The reusable design could also help reduce environmental impact in the long term. Commercial planes emit large amounts of carbon during long-haul flights, but a reusable spacecraft that drastically reduces travel time could eventually change the environmental equation. There is still work to be done, but the concept is exciting for eco-conscious travellers who love efficiency.

How fast could you travel

The potential travel times are truly astonishing. A flight from Los Angeles to New York could take just 25 minutes, while a journey from London to Hong Kong could be completed in around 34 minutes. To put this in perspective, regular commercial flights for these routes take approximately 10 to 15 hours. Imagine enjoying your morning coffee in Manila and then having brunch in Paris before most planes have even taken off. For travellers who dislike long flights and layovers, this could be a game changer.

Current development status

As of October 2025, SpaceX has completed 11 test flights of the Starship. The most recent, on October 13, 2025, showed significant progress. The booster returned safely to the Gulf of Mexico and the main Starship re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. During this mission, eight mock Starlink satellites were released, but the Starship did not achieve a full landing.

Each test provides valuable data on re-entry dynamics, passenger safety, and spacecraft reliability. These lessons are essential for making the idea of travelling across the planet in minutes a safe and practical reality.

Challenges and considerations

There are several challenges to address before Earth-to-Earth travel becomes mainstream. Environmental concerns are a major issue. A planned test with the U.S. Air Force for hypersonic rocket cargo deliveries was suspended due to potential harm to wildlife habitats. Technical hurdles are also significant. Ensuring passenger safety during high-speed suborbital flights, building infrastructure for fast boarding and landing, and securing regulatory approvals are all critical tasks. Even if the technology is ready, integrating rocket travel into everyday life will take time and planning.

What this could mean for the future

For now, Earth-to-Earth travel is a vision, but one that is steadily moving closer to reality. Imagine visiting multiple continents in a single day or avoiding the constraints of time zones for work or leisure. Once Starship is reliable for passenger flights, it could transform how we plan trips, making the world feel smaller and more connected.

For adventurous travellers, the idea of boarding a spacecraft instead of a plane is irresistible. Even if it is years away, following SpaceX’s progress is like following a new travel destination before it opens, full of promise and excitement.